Elevator.



W. n'. BALDWIN &' F. C. FURLOW.

' ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-7| I914.

Patented Dec. 12, 11916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- W. D. BALDWIN 64 F. C. FURLOW.

ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 1914.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

2 'SHEETSSHEET 2- WITESSES:

WILLIAM ID. BALDWIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND FLOYD C. FURLOW, 0F MONTCLAIB,

NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW

JERSEY, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1216.

Application filed February 7, 1914. Serial No. 817,155.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WiLLIAM D. BALD- WIN and FLOYD C. FURLow, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of New York, county of New York, State of New York, and Montclair, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to elevators or other hoist apparatus, and has for an object the provision of a multiplesystem of elevators operated from a single motor or other suitable source of power.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a plurality of elevator cars operating in both directions at variable speeds from a single motor which runs continuously at a constant speed in one direction.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a system of traction driven multiple elevators in which each elevator car is supported from underneath at all times by a column of water.

Other objects will appear hereinafter, the novel combinations of elements being pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents in elevation view a system of elevators containing an embodiment of our invention; Fig. 2 is a front sectional view of one of the power transmission devices; Fig. 3 is an end sectional view of Fig. 2; Figs. 1 and 5 are detail views of a plunger brake; Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram of electrical circuits used in carrying out' our invention.

Like referencecharacters denote similar parts in all of the figures.

Referring to Fig. 1, we show a motor M and a shaft 2 connected to run therewith which drives traction sheaves 3 and 4:, operatively connected by cables 5 and 6 to elevator cars G, C, and counterbalance weights W, W, respectively. The traction drums or sheaves 3 and 4 are driven in either di rection from the gears 7, 8, 9 and 10, secured on the shaft 2 by means of reversible variable speed transmission devices which are shown in section in Figs. 2 and 3. Since these transmission devices are similar to each other, a description of one will suffice for all. t Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen that each transmission device comprises a gear 11, which is driven by the gear 7 through an idler or intermediate gear 12, while a gear 13 is driven directly by the gear 8. It will be observed that the gear 11 is of the same diameter as the gear 7 while the gear 13 is of the same diameter as the gear 8, the arrangement being such that the gears 11 and 13 will be rotated by the gears 7 and 8, respectively, at the same speed, but in opposite directions. Each of the gears 11 and 13 carries upon it a fluid clutch or transmission device comprising an eccentric 15 securely keyed to the shaft 14 and an eccentric strap 16 connected to a trunk piston 17 operating in a cylinder 18 secured to the gear 13. The eccentric strap 16 is also connected by a link 19 to the trunk piston 20 of a cylinder 21 arranged diametrically opposite the cylinder 18, and secured to the gear 13. The cylinders 18 and 21 are in communication through a pipe 22, having a valve 23- which is controlled by a link 24 connected to a ring 25 which is free to turn about a grooved sleeve 26 arranged to slide along the shaft 14:. This sleeve may be moved along the shaft by means of an electromagnet 27 (Fig. 1) which is connected by a bell crank 28 to a ring 29 carried in a groove in the sleeve 26. Both cylinders 18 and 21 contain fluid, as also does the pipe 22, and in order to insure that they shall at all times be supplied with fluid, I provide a reservoir 30 containing fluid which is connected through the check valves 31 to the pipe 22 on opposite sides of the valve 23. The drum or sheave 3 is securely keyed to the shaft 14 and is provided with a brake drum 32 which cooperates with an electrically controlled friction brake 33 having a winding 33 (Fig. 1).

Connected to each car are plungers P, F, movable in the cylinders 34, 34, respectively. The cylinders are connected to a tank T by means of pipes 35, 35' and 36, 36', check valves 37, 37, being placed in pipes 35, 35, and controlling valves 38, 38' in the pipes 36, 36. The tank T filled with fluid is adapted to maintain the cylinders 34:, 34 filled with fluid for all positions of the plungers. A float F may be'provided for automatically. operating a valve to admit fluid from the supply pipe 39 into the tank T, or the tank may be filled at any time by opening the spigot 40.

Attached to the valves 38, 38', are bell crank levers 41', 41', one of the arms of each lever carrying weights 42, 42, and the other arms thereof being pivoted to the links 43, 43. Pivoted to the upper ends of the links 43, 43', are cores 44, 44, movable within the windings of electromagnets 45, 45.

Brake apparatus B and B are used in connection with the plungers P and P, each of which comprises an electromagnet 46 in this instance connected rigidly with the-cylinder head H. Movable within the magnet is an armature'or core 47, to the upper end of which is connected a. stem 48. This stem is in turn connected to a brake lever 49 which is rigidly connected to a cam 50 between brake shoes or gripping devices 51 co-acting with the plunger. The cam is pivoted at 52 to a support 53 on top of the cylinder head. When the magnet receives sufficient current the core 47 will. be lifted and so also the parts connected therewith, whereby a spring 54 will positively move the brake shoes out of engagement with the plunger and permit the same to be moved. When the current is cut off the magnets, the weight of the core assisted by a weight 55 will effect the application of the brake shoes. A stop 56 may be placed in proper position to limit the downward movement of the core, and hold the same when the cam will have maximum effect in applying the brake shoes firmlyto the plunger. T

Referring now to the wiring diagram, Fig. 6, the electromagnets 27 are provided with three windings 62, 63, 64, adapted to receive current successively in the order named, each winding upon receiving current eflecting the closing of the valve 23 a predetermined degree, and causing a corresponding increase in the speed of the car. These magnets maybe providedwith any number desired reof windings desired to secure the finement of variation of speed. The electromagnets 45, 45 are also provided with these windings 68, 69, and 68, 69, 70, respectively, which control the valves 38 and 38 in a manner as being understood being actuated only upon the descent of the car, to permit the fluid to discharge from the cylinder proportionatelywith the rate of speed thereof.

The various electromagnets are controlled by manually operative switches S and S in the cars, each comprising a lever L, adapted to engage contact segments 57, 65, 66 and 67 when moved to the left, to control the car in its up direction of travel, and when moved to the right to engage contact segments 82, 83, 84, and 85, to control the car in its down directionof travel. The motor M is preferably a shunt motor the same being connected across the mains designated and and its field 71 being connected in the usual manner.

above described, these valves it- The operation will now be described, and since the mode of operation is similar for all cars a description of one will sufiice for all.

T e motor M may be provided with a suitable starter, and we will say for example the motor is now rotating the shaft 2 in a clockwise direction, looking from the right of Fig. 1, the gear 7 drives the gear 11 in a clock wise direction, which as hereinafter described operates the car in an up direction, and the gear 8 driving the gear 13 in a counter clockwise direction, which as hereinafter described effects the operation of the car in a down direction. The valves 23 are normally open, and the pistons 17 and 20 operate in opposite directions causing the fluid to surge back and forth through the pipe 22 substantially without producing any torque on the shaft 14, and connected sheave 3. If now we desire to run the car C upwardly, the lever L is moved to the left to engage segments 57 and 65, thus establishing a circuit for the winding 46 of the brake B, brake winding 33', and winding 62 of the electromagnet 27, associated with the gear wheel 11, the circuit for the winding 46 being as follows: from main to junction 76, wire 77, to lever L, segment 57, wire 77, to brake winding 46, wire 78 to junction 79, to main; the winding 33 is connected in parallel with the winding 46, and the circuit for the winding 62 being from lever L to segment 65, wire 78 and winding 62 to junction 79 to main. The brakes B and 33 will now operate to release the plunger P and sheave 3, respectively, and the electromagnet 27 being partially energized effects the closing of the valve 23 a predetermined degree to restrict the passage of fluid from the cylinder 18 to the cylinder 21 and vice versa, and the shaft and connected sheave will rotate at a slow speed. The check valve 37 opens toward the cylinder and permits the water to flow freely from the tank T into the cylinder 34 as the car rises. By moving the lever L to engage segments 66, a circuit is established for the winding 63, which effects the further closing of the valve 23 and a corresponding increase in the speed of the car, and by moving the lever to engage segment 67, a circuit is established for the winding 64 which effects the full closing of the valve 23, which will efi'ect the operation of the car at full speed.

In order to operate the car in a down direction, the lever L is moved to the right, and the electromagnet 27 associated with the gear n-neel 13 controls the speed of the car in the same manner as just described, as are alsc the brake mechanisms B and 33. 111 this direction of car travel, the electromagnet 45 which controls the valve 38 is brought into operation, the windings 68, 6'.) and 70 thereof being connected in parallel with the windings 62, 63 and 64, respecmo em at tively. Thus the degree of o ening of the valve 38 is made proportiona with the degree of closing of the valve 23, thus permitting the fluid to discharge from the cylinder, proportionately with the speed thereof. It will be seen that the valve 38 maintains a column of water under the plunger during the down travel thereof, the check valve 37 doing likewise for the up travel, thereby making it practically impossible for the car to fall or to attain a dangerous rate of speed, such as might happen for example in,

case the cables should break.

The car C can remain at rest, or can be run in either direction desired, and at a variable speed irrespective of the direction of travel or rate of speed of thecar 0.

Obviously those skilled in the art may vary the details of our invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and We desire therefore not to be limited to the precise construction and number of parts herein disclosed.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:-

1. In an elevator system, the combination of a constantly rotating power shaft, a plurality of cars, transmission mechanism operatively connecting each car with the said shaft, plungers connected to the cars, receptacles containing a liquid for receiving the plungers, electro-mechanical operating mechanism for controlling the transmission mechanism, electromechanical operating mechanism for regulating the flow of liquid on the descent of the car, and a single de vice for controlling bothof said operating mechanisms from the cars.

2. ln an elevator system, thecompin ation ot a plurality of cars, a hoisting unit for each car, a single prime mover operatively connected to the hoistin units, hydraulic retarding means for eac car, comprising plungers connected to each car, cylinders for receiving the plungers, a tank communicating with the cylinders, electro-mechanical means for regulating the flow of fluid to said tank, and a single device for controlling both the hoisting unit and the electro-mechanical means from the car.

3. In an elevator system, the combination of a constantly rotating shaft, transmission mechanism operatively connecting each car with the said shaft, plungers connected to the cars, receptacles containing a liquid for receiving the plungers, electro-mechanical means associated with the transmission mechanism for eifectin a variable speed of the car in either direction of travel, electromechanical means for varying the flow of liquid proportionately with the speed of the car in its descent, and a single device for controlling all of the said electro-mechanical means from the car.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

wiLLmM n. BALDWIN. Witnesses:

'lnos. W. AN, D. M. BALDWIN.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FLUYD C. F LOW.

Witnesses:

E. W. Carmen, C. E. Bnnrrwnrs. 

